Coin-controlled radio reception apparatus



Feb. 19, 1929.

W. N. OLSEM COIN CONTROLLED RADIO RECEPTION APPARATUS Filed Aug;.16,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet gvvuanto'c (ill'forncqO.

I /LL/AM M ULSEM N 6 mg Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. OLSEM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED RADIO RECEPTION APPARATUS.

Application filed August 16, 1926. Serial No. 129,512.

My invention relates to apparatus for the reception of radio signals andcommunications and programs from radio-broadcasting stations, and itappertains particularly to such a radio-reception apparatus in which thereception can be accomplished only by the deposit of a coin of apredetermined denomination or the deposit of a specially constructedslug.

Principally, the object of my invention is to provide a radio-receptionapparatus with means by which, after the deposit of a legitimate coin orslug, the radio-reception circuits are automatically closed a predetermined length of time, and are automatically opened precisely at themoment when such time expires, so that the radio communication orprogram is audible to a listener only during the time paid for andtherefore the apparatus is particularly adapted for public use.

Another important object of my invention is to provide such means forstarting and stopping the time-measuring mechanism as to coact with themeans for closing or opening the radio-reception circuits that thetimemeasuring mechanism will be .started or stopped without liability todamage thereto and that the starting of the time-measuring mechanism ispositively assured by the deposit of the required coin or slug.

A further object of the invention is to equip a radio-receptionapparatus with a signal device whereby a listener is positivelyinformed, before depositin the coin or slug, whether a selectedradioroadcasting station or source of transmitting radio communicationsis operating, so that he is safeguarded from paying for radioentertainment when such a broadcasting station or source is out ofservice.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention may appear fromthe following detailed description referring to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, chiefly diagrammatic, of the apparatus andshows its coin-controlled starting means and timemeasuring mechanism andthe means for starting and stopping the mechanism as well as theconnection of the apparatus in circuit with a radio set, which isdiagrammatically represented as including five audion tubes, thetime-measuring mechanism being started and the radio-reception circuitsclosed;

Figure 2 is a fragmental and diagrammatic View showing the trip rod ashaving just dropped from its trip position on the trip cam and therebycausing the spring-actuated stop member associated with the solenoid rodto contact with the balance wheel, thus stopping the time-measuringmechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmental and diagrammatic view showing the contact onthe rocker arm of the trip relay in contact with the spring under therocker arm. It also shows how the trip dog on the rocker arm haspermitted the dog on the extension of the core-piece in the solenoid tobe moved to a position in which the stop member associated with thecorepiece extension is moved, to the position for stopping thetime-measuring mechanism, as shown in Figure 2, and in addition how thecontact springs, actuated by the solenoid, are in dtheir normal,non-contacting positions; an

Figure 4 is a chiefly diagrammatic representation of the signal device,and shows how the signal device is connected with the radio circuit, inwhich are included a five-tube radio set and a loud speaker, alsodiagrammatically represented.

By the numeral 1* is indicated in the drawings a diagrammaticallyrepresented radio set, which ma be of any approved type and fullyequippe for tuning it to different wave lengths and may have an audiooutput jack in connection with a source of electric energy for the gridand plate circuits to the audion tubes A, and also have otherappurtenances, not shown. The radio set, as shown in Figure 4, hasconnected in its circuits a radio reception instrument 2. whichpreferably is a loud speaker of an approved type.

In carrying out my invention, I mount upon a suitable support 3, atime-measuring mechanism 4. Most of the parts of. this mechanism may becontained between two plates 5 and 6. Although themechanism may beidentical with the mechanism in any approved clock construction, andthus includes a train of gears 7, it is preferably of the type in whichan escapement 8 in conjunction with a spiral spring 9 on the axis of abalance wheel 10 causes the balance wheel to swing back and forth andthereby produces such a regular step-by-step movement of the escapementas adapts the mechanism for the function of a chronometrical device.

A pinion 11 is fixed upon a shaft 12 and is adapted to mesh with one ofthe gears in the train 7 so as to cause the shaft, during the operationof the time-measuring mechanism 4, to revolve at a predetermined speedin the direction indicated by the curved arrow in Figure 1. For example,it may be assumed that the geared relation of the pinion to the 1 trainis such thatit causes the shaft 12 to make three revolutions'an hour.The shaft thus makes one revolution in exactly twenty minutes. A cam 13is adj ustably secured upon the shaft outside of the plate 5, and inthis case the cam is shown as double-acting by be ing provided with twoportions 14, which are exactly alike and arranged opposite to each withthe cam.

The lower end of the rod is cut at a slightly acute angle to the axis ofthe rod, so that during the rotation of the cam the rod may trip quicklyfrom the respective tripping edges a of the cam portions 14 to therespective cut-down sections 6 below, and the angle of the cut is suchas to facilitate the riding of the rod upon the cam, as is clearly shownat 19 in Figures 1 and 2. A pin 20 is fixed to and extends through therod, and the column 16 is slotted at the upper part on both sides ill ofits bore, as shown at 21, so as to provide a guide-way for the pin,which fits in the slots and thereb ada ts the rod to slide up and down,whi e at t e same time it revents ,a. twistingmovement of the trip roand thus holds the rod in the proper cam-engaging position. One end ofthe pin is bifurcated and has fitted therein and pivotally securedthereto a roller 22, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

It is assumed that the parts that comprisethe apparatus of m inventionare contained in or connected wit a case of an preferred size anddesign, and it is there ore merely suggested that such a case isprovided wit a coin or slu -deposit opening, as is customary in cabinetscontaining pay-mechanisms for the use of the general public.

' Thus, from the coin or slug-deposit opening in one of the walls of thecase leads a chute 23, the terminal opening of which is preferablyarranged directly above one end of a balance lever 24, which has the endprovided with a pocket member 25, and the lever is pivotally securedbetween standards 26',

which may be fixed to the same support 3 as the time-measuring mechanism4. At its opposite end the balance lever has thereon a weight 26, whichis so arranged that it norprovided with a contact 43 adapted to contactmally overbalances the lever and causes the .end with the pocket memberto be raised to proximity to the discharge end of the chute 23. On thecontrary, as is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, when a coin orslug 27 of correct size, weight and shape has been deposited in theapparatus and has descended from the chute into the pocket member, itcauses the end with the pocket member to over-balance the other end andto swing downward, as is also indicated in dotted lines, so that acontact 28 on the lever contacts with a contact 29 on a spring member30, which is suitably mounted on, but insulated from the standards 26'.This position of the lever, of course, can be maintained only for aninstant, as the levers inclination is such as to cause the coin or slugto roll immediately from the pocket member into any suitable receptacle,not shown, so that the weight 26 again causes the lever to swing to itsnormal position.

One pole of a battery 31 is connected with the lever 24, preferably atthe axis thereof, by a wire lead 32 and the other pole of'=the batteryis connected with one of the terminals of a solenoid 33, as is indicatedby a wire lead 34, while a wire 35 connects the other terminal of thesolenoid with a contact spring 36, which is secured to but insulatedfrom a bracket 37 fixed to a frame 38. The 'frame itself is suitablyattached to the support 3 and has secured upon it, although insulatedtherefrom, a trip relay 39. This trip relay is provided with an armature40, which is secured to a rocker arm 41, and the rocker'arm is pivotallysecured at one end in a yoke 42, which in its turn is fastened to theframe 38.

The other end of the rocker arm extends above the free end of thecontact spring 36 and is with the spring, when the armature is drawntowards the pole pieces of the relay. Normally, however, the rocker armis held by a spring, not shown, in a position so that the contact 43 israised sufiicieutly to be out of contact with the spring 36. A wire 44is suitably attached at one end so as to establish an electricconnection with the rocker arm and has its other end connected with thespring 30.

The solenoid is mounted on suitable standards 45, which are secured tothe support 3, and is thereby held rigidly, so that its axis orcore-piece 46 is preferably parallel with the supporting surface 3 andin the plane of the balance wheel 10, and the core-piece islongitudinally movable in a non-magnetic sleeve 47 which is fixed in thesolenoid and extends therefrom at the end towards the balance wheel,while on the core-piece is integrally formed an axial extension 48,which is preferably also of a non-magnetic metal and is slidably held ina standard 49 mounted on the support 3. At the other end of the solenoidanother sleeve 50 is fixed and has slidably mounted therein a nonmageticrod 51 adapted to be with its inner end in contact with the end of thecore-piece 46 and to be moved outward thereby and being at its outer endprovided with an insulating plug 52. A coil spring 53 is placed upon thecore-piece 46 between the sleeve 47 and a collar 54, which preferably issecured to the core-piece at the junction of the extension 48 therewith,so that the spring tends to slide the core piece outward a distance fromthe solenoid, and a dog 55, formed with a stop 56, is adj ustablysecured on the extension and adapted to engage another dog 57 secured tothe rocker arm 41, while a thrust spring 58 is placed on the extensionbetween the dog and the standard 49. Any suitable means may be providedfor preventing the extension 48 and the corepiece 46 from turning; forinstance, the extension may be angular and fitting in an opening of thesame angular shape in the standard 49, or a key fitting in a keyway maybe provided, but as such means are well known in the art they areomitted from the drawings. At its end toward the time-measuringmechanism 4, the extension 48 is pref erably cut down so as to form afiat portion to which is secured the inner end of a flat spring 59, andthis spring has at its outer end secured thereto, a stop member 60,preferably a soft brush, which is adapted to stop the balance wheel whenthe bristles of the brush contact with the rim of the wheel.

A spring 61 is secured at one end to an insulation block 62, which ismounted upon a member 63, and the member 63 is fixed to the support 3.This spring 61 extends under and beyond the cam 13 and is directly belowthe cam provided with an insulation 64, while the free end of the springis adapted to contact with the free end of a spring 65, which is at itsother end secured to an insulation block 66, and the block 66 is mountedupon a member 67 which is secured to the support 3. The arrangement ofthe springs 61 and is such that they are normally out of contact witheach other. Upon the bracket 15 is mounted an insulation block 68, andto this blodk is secured a spring element 69 so shaped 1 and placed thatthe spring is in the path of the roller 22 and will make contacttherewith when the trip rod 17 drops from its position at a trippingedge a of the cam 13 to the respective cut-down portion 6, but is out ofcontact with the roller when the trip rod isin either of the positionsat a or b. The spring 69 is connected with the spring 65 by a wire 70,and a wire 61 is connected with the spring 61 and leads therefrom to thesame pole of the battery 31 as the wire 32 from the lever 24.

Four contact springs 71, 72, 73 and 7 4 are at their lower ends mountedupon a member 75, which is secured to the support 3, and the springs areinsulated from the member and from one another by suitable insulations 76. Also, between the two intermediate springs 72 and 73, and fixed toeither of them is an insulation 77. The springs 71 and 72 are spacedfrom each other sufliciently so as to be normally out of contact attheir upper or contact ends, and the springs 73 and 7 4 are similarlyspaced from each other, as shown in Figure 3, but, when the solenoid 33is energized, the insulating plug 52 will bear against the sprin 74 andforce it into contact with the spring 73, and this movement iscommunicated to the spring 72 and likewise forces it into contact withthe spring 71, as shown in Figure 1. A wire 78 connects the spring 71with the same pole of the battery 31 as the lead 34 from the solenoid33, and a wire 79 connects the spring 72 with one of the terminalwindings in the trip relay 39, while a wire 80 connects the spring 73with one pole of a battery 81, which is of the type adapted to supplythe current for the filaments in the audion tubes A, and a wire 82connects the spring 74 with the radio set 1, which in its turn isconnected with the other pole of the battery 81, so as to complete thefilament circuit for the audion tubes, and the other terminal winding ofthe trip relay is connected by a wire 83 with the trip 17.

In a suitable place, for instance, on the inside of a wall 84, Figure 4,of the case that houses the radio set 1, a signal jack 85 is securedwith the base plate 86 of its framewor 87 to the wall, and a jack-plugstem 88 extends slidably through the wall, the base plate and a crossbar 89 of the framework. For the manual operation of the jack a button90 is provided on the outer end of the jack-plug. stem. Between the baseplate and the cross bar the jack-plug'stem has thereon a flange 91, anda coil spring 92, placed around the stem between the fian 'e and thecross bar 89, is adapted to normally hold the stem with its flangeagainst the base plate 86. The inner end of the stem is provided with atapering insulation plug 93, adapted to fit between the free ends of twojack springs 94 and 95, which together with five other jack springs 96,97, 98, 99 and 100 are secured at one end in the frame work 87 andinsulated therefrom and from one another by insulations 101.

By a wire'102 the spring 94 is connected in the grid and plate circuitsof the audion tubes, in which circuits is included the customaryaudio-output jack, as is indicated in Figure 4 by the words, Toaudio'output jack. Another wii e 103 connects the spring with anelectro-magnet coil 104 at one pole of a permanent magnet 105, while awire 106 connects an electro-magnet coil 107 at the other pole of themagnet 105 with a wire 106' leading to one terminal of the toud speaker2 and connected in the grid and plate circuits of the audion tubes andwith the audio-output jack. A vibratory spring wire 108 pivotallymounted at a point between its ends and connected with the armature ofthe magnet 105, and therefore actuated by the pulsations of the currentthat flows around the coils 104 and 107, is connected by a wire 109 withone pole of a battery 110, and the other pole of this battery isconnected by a wire 111 with one terminal of a signal lamp 112, which inits turn has its other terminal connected with the spring 98 by a wire113.

An insulating support 114 has mounted thereupon a spring 115, the freeend of which is normally out of contact with the spring 108 but isadapted to make contact therewith when the latter vibrates, and thespring 115 is connected by a wire 116 with the spring 97, which isnormally separated sufficiently from the spring 98 so as to be out ofcontact therewith and isalways kept out of contact with the adjacentspring 94 by an insulating stud 117 secured either to the sprin 94 orthe spring 97. Normally, however, the. spring 94 contacts with thespring 96, which is connected with the loud speaker 2 by a wire 118 atthe terminal opposite to that in connection with the wire 106'.

Between the spring 95 and the adjacent spring 99 is interposed aninsulating stud 119, which may be secured to either of the springs andis adapted to keep them always out of contact with each other. Thesprings 99 and 100 are normally spread apart sufficiently so as to beout of contact with each other, and a wire 120 connects the spring 99with the wire 82, which leads from the radio set and also is connectedwith the spring 74, as before described, while a wire 121 connects thesprin 100 with the wire 80, which also connects t e spring 73 with thebattery 81.

The operation of the radio-reception apparatus thus described, is asfollows: Before depositing a coin or slug 27 ifi the opening therefor,leading to the chute 23, the person who desires to llSllGff-fO aradio-broadcasting program, or receive communication from'aradio-transmitting source, after having inserted the audio-outputplug'in its place and after having properly adj listed the timingdevices in the radio set for reception, depresses the button 90 untilthe ack-plug' stem 88 contacts with the jack sprlngs 94 and 95. If thedesired. station is broadcasting at that time,

1 the radio-frequency waves sent therefrom will be received by the radioset 1 in the apparatus, but will not be conveyed to the listener insounds that will enable him to interpret or enjoy the program,because'the spring 94 is temporarily out of contact with the spring 96so that the loud speaker 2 is thereby disconnected from .the grid andplate circuits o f.the radio set; -'In this instance, therefore, oneelectric current takes the direction from the negative pole of thebattery 81 and through the wires 80 and -121, the springs 100 and 99,thewires 120 and 82 and the radio set 1 back to the battery 81 at thepositive pole thereof, while a current at the same time flows from thenegative pole of the battery for the grid and plate circuits of theaudion tubes and through the wires 106 and 106 and energizes the coils107 and 104, thereby causing oscillation of the armature for the magnet105, and thence through the wire 103, the spring 95, the jack-plug stem88, the spring 94 and the. wire 102 back to the positive pole of thebattery for the grid and plate circuits. Meantime, the battery 110causes an electric current to flow from its negative pole and throughthe wire 109, the vibratory spring 108, the spring 115, the wire 116,the springs 97 and 98. the wire 113, the signal lamp 112 and the wire111 back to the battery 110 at the positive pole thereof, thus causingthe lamp 112 to flicker on account of the intermittent contacts of thespring 108 with the spring 115 and thereby visibly indicating that theselected station is broadcasting. If'the station is not broadcasting,current will flow uninterruptedly through the windings of the coils 104and 107, so that therefore the spring 108 will stay in its normalposition in contact with the spring 115 and consequently the lamp 112will re-- main lighted until the release of the button and thus indicatethe absence of a radio program from that station. A person is in thismanner notified whether the desired connection can be made or not, andhe is thereby saved the exasperating experience of having dropped therequired coin or slug into the apparatus without receiving the expectedservice in return. When the pressure on the button 90 is released, thejack-plug stem 88 is by the spring 92 returned to its normal position sothat the loud speaker is again connected with the grid'and platecircuits of the audion tubes through the springs 94 and 96.

It being assumed that a person has found that the selected broadcastingstation is operating, he deposits the required coin or slug 27 in theopening therefor.- Up. to the time of such a .deposit the time-measuringmechanism 4 is stopped, because the stop member 60 contacts with the rimof thebalance wheel 10, as shown in Figure 2, and the springs 71 and 73are in their normal position out of contact with the respective springs72 and 74, while the contact 43 on the rocker arm 41 isin contact withthe spring 36, as shown in Figure 3, so that, when the lever 24 ismomentarily overbalanced by the deposited coin or slug, an electriccurrent is caused to flow from the negative pole of the battery 31 andthrough the wire'34, the solenoid 33, the wire 35. the spring 36, thecontact 43 and the rocker arm 41, the wire 44, the spring 30, the

contacts 29 and 28. the ilever 24 and the wire 32 back to the battery 31at the positive pole thereof. The solenoid is thus energized and causesthe insulating plug 52 to press uponthe spring 74, so that the springs74 and 72 will respectively contact with the s rings 73 and 71 and sothat the dog 55 will e moved sufficiently to allow the dog 57 on thespringactuated rocker arm 41 to spring upward to such an engagingposition with the dog 55 as will retain the springs 74 and 72 inrespective contact with the springs 7 3 and 71, while at the same timethe contact between the rockor arm and the spring 36 is broken, thusopening the circuit to the solenoid and cansing the solenoid to bede-energized, and the stop member 60 is moved away from the balancewheel 10, as shown in Figure 1. The time-measuring mechanism 4 is thusstarted, and the cam 13 begins to rotate from the position shown inFigure 2. Simultaneously an electric current flows from the negativepole of the battery 81 and through the wire 80, the springs 73 and 74.the wire 82 and the radio set 1 back to the battery 81' at the positivepole thereof, and another current flows through the wire 106', the loudspeaker, the wire 118, the springs 96 and 94 and the wire 102 from andto the battery or source of electric energy for the grid and platecircuits of the audion tubes. so that in this manner the programtransmitted from the selected broadcasting station is audible to thelistener.

When the time-measuring mechanism is thus started, the-spring 69 is outof contact with the roller 22 on the trip rod 17, so that, although thesprings 61 and 65 at first contact with each other, the circuit from thebattery 31 is open. As the cam 13 revolves, it begins to lift the triprod, but, when the roller in this upward movement of the trip rod,contacts with the spring 69, the springs 61 and 65 are separated, asshown in Figure 1, so that the circuit from the battery 31 still remainsopen. During the cams continued revolution, while one of the camportions 14 presses upon the spring 61 and causes it to contact with thespring 65,-the end of the trip rod'rides upon the other cam portion 14,so that the; trip rod; is raised still more and the roller comes above t.3 position for contact with the'spring 69 and therefore even in thisposition of the trip the circuit from the battery 31 remains open.However, as soon as the cams tripping edge a passes 'the end of the triprod, the trip rod is actuated by gravity and drops immediately from thetripping edge to the cut-down cam sections bbelow and thus causes theroller in passing to contact with the spring 69. Consequently, thecircult from the battery 31 is momentarily closed and the current flowsfrom the negative pole of the battery and through the wire 78. thesprings 71 and 72, the wire 7 9, the windings of the trip relay 39, thewire 83. the trip rod 17, the roller 22, the spring 69. the wire 7 0,the springs 65 and 61, and the wire 61' back to the battery 31 at thetrip relay and causing the rocker arm 41 to drop and make contact withthe spring 36. At the same time the dog 57 is moved downward andreleases the dog 55 so that the solenoid core-piece 46, by the action ofthe coil spring 53, is moved toward the balance wheel 10 until the dog55 strikes the thrust spring 58 and thereafter the stop 56 on the dogcomes into engagement with the dog 57, while the stop member 60 contactswith the rim of the balance wheel and thereby stops the time-measuringmechanism, and the spring 7 4 pushes back the rod 51 so that thecontacts between the springs 71 and 72 and the springs 73 and 7 4 arethen broken and the radio program is thereby shut off from the listener.Should he desire to hear more of the program, it will again be audibleto him upon the deposit of a coin or slug, as before, for

cured to the spring 59. By this arrangement the bristles of the brushyieldingly engage and follow the rim of the balance wheel both in thestarting and the stopping thereof. Thebrush will therefore give a.swinging impulse to the balance wheel whenever it is withdrawn fromcontact therewith, so that the starting of the time-measuring mechanismis positively assured, no matter in what position the balance wheel maybe at the time when it is stopped. It should be further noted that theresilient mounting of the brush co-operates with the softness andflexibility of the bristles in the brush to prevent the stop member frombeing forced to engage the balance wheel with such violence as would bethe case, if the stop member were differently mounted and differentlyconstructed, and Gould cause suflicient damage to the balance wheel orits pivots to be detrimental to the operation of the time-measuringmechanism.

Although in the foregoing I have referred to the sources of electricenergy for the different circuits in the radio-reception apparatus of myinvention as batteries, I have done so only for the purpose ofdescription, and I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myselfto batteries but may employ their equivalents whenever it is practicalto do so. For instance, I may avail myself of such transforming devicesas make it desirable and advantageous to utilize the ordinarylighting-current system in residences as the source of electric energyin connection with radio-reception apparatuses.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the type described, a

switch closing member, means for moving said member into operativeposition, a clock mechanism electrically connected to said member movingmeans, said member imparting a starting movement to said clock mechanismwhen said member is moved into operative position,

2. In a device of the type described, a switch closing member, means formoving said member into operative position, a clock mechanismelectrically connected to said member moving means, said memberimparting a starting movement to said clock mechanism when said memberis moved into operative position, said member imparting a braking force.to said clock mechanism when said member is moved into inoperativeposition, whereby said clock mechanismis stopped.

3. In a device of the type described, a switch closing member,electrically controlled means for movin said member into operativeposition, means or holding said member in operative position and a timecontrolled means set into operation by the movement of said member intooperative position, said means including a brush for yieldinglycontacting with the balance of the time controlled mechanism.

4. In a device of the type described, a switch closing member, asolenoid for moving said member into operative position, and anelectrically controlled stop for holding said member in operativeposition, a clock mechanism includin a balance, a brush carried by saidmember For contacting with the balance when said member is ininoperative position for stopping the movement of the clock, and forimparting a starting movement to the balance when said member is movedinto operative position, a pair of switches in series with each otherand in electrical connection with the stop, means for closing one ofsaid switches for an instant, the other switch being closed by the clockmechanism, said switches when closed causing said stop to release saidmember.

WILLIAM N. OLSEM.

